Matthew McComb, Year 11, reflects on the key elements that contribute to the successful development of parliamentary legislation.
The Victorian Schools Parliamentary Program (VSPP) brings together students from various schools to discuss a central topic relevant to modern education.
The topic for Melbourne Grammar School’s 2024 VSPP event was whether the Australian government should regulate social media use for young people and, if so, how?
Students from the Star of the Sea College and Mac.Robertson Girls’ High School joined us as we explored the comparative importance of freedom of online expression and the protection of youths from harmful content.
At the beginning of the day, we heard from three current members of Victorian parliament, who represented both major political parties – Tim Richardson, Parliamentary Secretary for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, James Newbury (OM 1995), Shadow Minister for Equality, and Jess Wilson, Shadow Minister for Education. Each panellist, through their involvement in the education sector, acknowledged the significant role social media plays in our lives today.
A common theme expressed by the politicians was the difficulty of separating one’s personal opinions from those of their associated party – a struggle many of us faced in the second section of the day in which each student was randomly assigned to a small hypothetical party group (ranging from far-right libertarian to left-leaning progressive) to develop and later debate their party stance on the topic.
What did I learn?
The founding pillar of discussion-based learning is diversity. Grounded in students’ array of upbringings and life experiences, sharing unique reflections at events like the VSPP, foster an invaluable sense of collaboration, community, and inclusivity.
I saw first-hand that the value of having a wide range of perspectives being brought to the student parties could not be overstated, confirming the importance of having a parliament in which people from all walks of life and cultures are represented.
This is the case because it can shed light on otherwise neglected facets of the issue, and it enables the perspectives of more people to be considered when making decisions and party policy.
The student parties proposed carefully crafted legislation on social media regulation, in some cases forming coalitions with ideologically aligned groups. Importantly, each party had to consider the needs of their key constituencies, prompting internal debates.
Additionally, the legislation had to be voted on by all parties, some of whom held fundamentally opposing views on the same topic, so a level of compromise had to be reached. Hence, to take a bipartisan approach and reach an agreed legislative position on the day, it helped if the parties had considered a range of views in their internal discussions, rather than just those that suited the party.
The day was full of excitement, cooperation, and learning, reinforcing the power of building strong relationships inclusivity and sound public speaking skills as pillars of interdisciplinary success.
